


I am always with you, as you are with me

by imbadatlove



Series: One and the Same [2]
Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dialogue Heavy, Emotional Hurt, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt, Light Angst, The Pale City, The Signal Tower - Freeform, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:14:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29683113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imbadatlove/pseuds/imbadatlove
Summary: --Mono pivots to stare up at the monumental building and his voice is just above a whisper when he begins, "I know what it's like to be alone." He faces The Thin Man again, "But you know what it's like to be alone in there--" Mono points at the tower emphatically, "--and I can't imagine how horrible that was for you. I can't imagine how horrible it is for her right now."The Thin Man crosses his arms over his chest and looks away.Mono continues, "You would've givenanythingfor someone to talk to in there, or at least, someone to say goodbye to--" The Thin Man visibly tenses, "--before it trapped you there, wouldn't you? Just to know that someone at least cared enough to come back and say goodbye. I know what Six did, what shewould'vedone, is cruel and unforgivable, but I also know you don't want her to suffer through what you did. And neither do I."The Thin Man reluctantly looks at Mono under the shadow of his hat.His voice is tight when he begs, "Just let me say goodbye to her."--Alternatively: The sequel to'I am you, as you are me'.Mono and The Thin Man discover Six's fate in the Signal Tower and then decide their own.
Relationships: Mono & Six (Little Nightmares), Mono & The Thin Man (Little Nightmares)
Series: One and the Same [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2177634
Comments: 34
Kudos: 231





	I am always with you, as you are with me

**Author's Note:**

> **PSA: As this is a sequel to 'I am you, as you are me' it is recommended that you read that if you haven't before this for context. This AU follows the time loop theory.**
> 
> **This is an alternate ending/universe, so prepare for spoilers, explanations, etc, this is your only warning!**

Two hands rise, one large and one small. Palm forward, fingers flexed and spread wide, they hover in front of their target, a malevolent eye engraved into wooden boards. A door, to be exact. It is many things, this door. It is an escape, the only one there is, and behind it lingers the promise of polluted air, gloomy skies and dilapidated buildings--and yet, living in that vile atmosphere outside, the remnants of the Pale City, is still better than living in this cramped, dishevelled room. If it can even be classed as 'living'. Because this door is also a prison. It acts as a poignant reminder of all the years it has kept one of its two current inhabitants sealed away and trapped. This door has watched as that poor soul has been mangled; exploited and turned into a mere vessel, its primary use to feed the monolithic tower in which his being is imprisoned. Only to be released and damned to the same fate again and again. 

That's why there is no regret as the azure electricity materialises around his feet, builds up and creates a static barrier around his being. He feels no sympathy for this room as he focuses all of this energy directly into the carved iris. The door makes an inhumane sound, a violent screech, like it is in pain. The screams are equally as debilitating as they are terrifying, but he does not cease his besiege upon it. Wooden chips splinter out of the carving and the door begins to concave outwards. Such a small result of the large degree of power he is using would be discouraging, if not for the smaller boy at his feet, who is arising his own electrical barrier around himself, preparing to concentrate all of his power into it too.

Something unexpected occurs then. Mono's static barrier surrounds him and collides with The Thin Man's, forming a larger electrical shield that encompasses them both. The combined burst of frenzied current stumbles them, Mono especially, and he falls down to his knees. In the face of this overwhelming adversity, Mono raises his hand higher, lowers his head and pushes his palm flat to the wooden door. The door lets out another blood-curdling scream and the corners of the stone walls crack behind them, the ceiling rumbles and flakes of plaster rain down. More wooden chips fly sporadically from the door. The Thin Man's hand comes to rest next to Mono's against the wood, and they both give one final, magnetic shove. 

The door shatters like glass. 

The aftermath is a violent shockwave that knocks both of them onto their backs. The room fills with a hissing blue smoke, similar to when a fuse blows when connected to a power source. The Thin Man rises unsteadily, vision blurred and head pounding from expending so much of his power. This fatigue is foreign to him, and if that ordeal was enough to cause _him_ discomfort, he doesn't want to picture what it could've done to Mono. The Thin Man strains his eyes through the thick soot and spots a small figure laying on its side, dormant. In a panic, he raises his hand towards him and tries to pull Mono to his grasp, only for every fibre of his body to throb and wrestle against the demanding request. He can't generate his power. That is of the least concern right now though, and he meanders through the smoke towards Mono and gently lifts him into his hand. 

The ceiling above makes another loud rattle and starts to crumple, pushing down a few inches and sending more rubble falling on top of them. The Thin Man instinctively holds Mono closer to him, placing one hand above his fragile head to shield him from the falling debris. The ceiling falls down a few more levels, then a large crack appears in the middle of it. The Thin Man lurches forward and reaches the corridor. He glances back at the sound of something wet and sloppy flopping onto the floor, and upon doing so witnesses the familiar, grotesque mass piling in the room from the ceiling. Bulbous eyes blink at him, eerily sentient and authentic, perturbed by The Thin Man's behaviour. Once it realises what is happening, the flesh permeates into the room faster, more aggressively. The television at the end of the hallway is still erupting static and The Thin Man strides towards it, only for the concrete walls around him to fracture and collapse, revealing a dozen more eyes and corpuscles enclosing in on him and Mono. The expanding flesh piles onto the television and its abundant weight crushes the system instantly. 

The abominable mass surrounds him. The Thin Man drops Mono in his pocket and scrutinises his palms desperately. He blocks out the fetid gurgles and jiggles of flesh and bows his head, trying to build up his power. Despite the new, crushing waves of the transmission frying his brain and threatening to drive him insane, he keeps pushing, and eventually the surrounding energy is sucked into his palms, the blue lightning buffer rising once more. Time slows down. The Thin Man takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Those now trembling hands press into his forehead and he curls in on himself. When time finally returns to its original pacing and the flesh walls consume all remaining space in the corridor, The Thin Man is gone. 

His rebound back to reality is hardly ceremonious. Instead of landing straight up on his feet like usual, he is practically flung forwards, somehow managing to break his fall on his hands and knees. With every arduous inhale, his body shudders with electricity, blunt fingernails digging deep into the cobbled stones below to avoid collapsing on his chest. His head is reeling, like someone's playing with a drill inside his skull, and his ears are thundering with static and white noise. In spite of the new sensations disorientating him, The Thin Man squints at the floor below, scratches his fingers against the surface, inquiring. Concrete. As the reverberation of electricity passes, he can now acutely hear the pitter-patter of droplets landing on the ground below and his back. He's outside. From the vast, empty space and dim lights flickering in his peripherals, a street, to be precise.

A glance over his shoulder reveals which street. Behind him looms the Signal Tower. His escape has left an impact however, its grandiose structure now appears withered at its edges and the satellite affixed to its roof blinks an angry red that shrouds the walls of nearby buildings in the same colour. The Signal Tower is displeased, and The Thin Man isn't awfully keen on waiting around to see the havoc it unleashes on the already vanquished Pale City because of it. He manoeuvres onto his haunches, flinching when the small movements send another crackle of static vibrating through his head. Then, he reaches into the pocket of his suit jacket to retrieve Mono, only to feel nothing but the pocket's silk inside lining. His stomach drops like a rock. In an instant, he's scanning the street with a desperation so intense he might have given himself whiplash. 

He breathes a sigh of relief when he spots Mono a few metres in front of him, still unconscious. Poor Mono must've been catapulted from his pocket due to the sheer force The Thin Man crashed back into reality at. The Thin Man hopes the impact didn't injure him further, and he warily rises to his feet. As soon as he makes his first step forward however, he falters, crashing down again, the crooked buildings around him rumbling and floundering in an imitation of his movements. The Thin Man watches them. His manipulation of the city, and consequently reality, never once bothered him before, but seeing reality respond to his pain now is disconcerting. He brushes it aside to recover and stand up again, staggering towards Mono.

When he is close enough, he weakly calls out to him. In response to his voice, Mono makes some sort of sound between a murmur and a whine, rolling over onto his back. After a few moments, he sits upright, balancing himself by leaning on his hands. His chin is tilted towards the ground and his arms are overcome with tremors. The Thin Man's newfound ease from seeing Mono alive is fleeting, disappearing as soon as he spots the thick smear of blood under his nose. He ruffles through the inside of his suit and pulls out a handkerchief, holds it out for Mono. 

**"Your nose is bleeding,"** He says, gesturing to the stain with a flick of the white cloth. Mono makes no effort to grab the offered material and The Thin Man frowns at this. The Thin Man then kneels and inches closer. He uses his index finger to angle Mono's chin upwards, gently placing the handkerchief under his nose. The angle is a bit difficult due to their immense size difference, but he tries not to poke Mono's eye out as he wipes the blood away. Mono sits there drowsily as he does so, head lowering once more as soon as The Thin Man's hand isn't there to support him.

**"Can you hear me, Mono?"**

Another soft mutter, then a tired mumble, "Sleepy..." Is Mono's response, meekly meeting The Thin Man's concerned gander. Mono wrinkles his nose, hand coming up to cover it as another flurry of blood comes gushing out. The Thin Man presents the handkerchief again, glad when Mono reaches out and takes it this time, albeit sluggishly. Mono none-too-gently thrusts the cloth against his philtrum and The Thin Man cringes. 

**"Tilt your head back and pinch at the top, it'll stop the flow of blood."** He instructs. 

Mono follows his directive. When the extent of his nosebleed has lessened, he speaks up in a nasally voice, "Why is my nose bleeding?" 

**"You're inexperienced in handling the transmission,"** The Thin Man explains, **"Your body isn't used to exerting itself to such lengths to be able to manipulate its power, thus it consumed a lot of your energy. Lethargy and injury are common aftereffects, but as long as you take the necessary time to recover and don't strain yourself, it shouldn't be a problem."**

"I travelled through TVs before and it was never this bad," Mono yawns.

The Thin Man smirks at the naiveté, **"The transmission is more than just interdimensional warping through television screens."**

"Inter-what?" 

With an amused shake of his head, The Thin Man extends up to his full height, **"I'll tell you about it when you're wholly conscious."** He snorts, turning serious once more, **"For now, we must leave The Pale City."**

Mono stumbles to his feet also, "Why?"

 **"Look around you,"** The Thin Man spreads his arms out and towards the collapsing buildings, **"This city is barely holding itself together, and it hasn't for decades now. It'll always be enslaved and corrupted by the Signal Tower, and it's only a matter of time before a building crushes us or a group of mindless viewers attack us because we travel through the wrong television screen."** He finishes almost acerbically.

"I don't understand how a tower can do so much damage," Mono remarks wistfully. 

The Thin Man's gaze darkens, **"Oh, but it is so much more than a simple tower, Mono. It hides under the guise of stone and metal, but the Signal Tower is in itself an eldritch entity. A deity among the people of this city. Its very existence is why this city is crumbling at the seams and why all its inhabitants are entranced by television screens. The transmission harnesses their life essence and uses it to further its own strength and power, then absorbs their mass inside."**

Mono swallows at the graphic description provided. He twiddles his thumbs placatingly. "So why don't we just destroy the tower?"

 **"May I remind you that escaping a single _corridor_ in there was enough to render you unconscious?" **Mono deflates at that, and The Thin Man readjusts his tone, **"We possess the ability to manipulate the transmission, yes, but we don't have the power to be able to eradicate the entire tower. I fear that, even if we were somehow able to, it would unleash more chaos among this city. The viewers have adapted to the Signal Tower's presence and suddenly taking that away from them would cause uproar."**

Mono tilts his head quizzically, becoming all the more sleepier with The Thin Man's advanced jargon and confusing explanations, "I don't understand." 

The Thin Man presses his index finger into his temple, his other hand coming across his chest to cup his elbow. He takes a long, hard blink, and Mono isn't sure if he's thinking or has a headache himself from it all. **"The transmission presents itself as a form of escapism. In actuality, it's a form of brainwashing, but the viewers don't see it like that. What to us appears as loud static, they see as a desired alternate reality they can, literally and figuratively, absorb themselves in. That's what makes the transmission so dangerous; it preys upon the weak and vulnerable and offers them a substitute plain of existence they can escape to. Of course they accept this offer, only to unknowingly become enslaved by it. It's rather tragic, really."**

"Why doesn't it have this effect on us, then?"

 **"Like I said, we are able to manipulate the transmission. Instead of us being entranced by it** , **we are able to harness its reality altering abilities and project the transmission."**

"...By project you mean we can brainwash people." Mono frowns.

The Thin Man nods solemnly. **"It's what the tower forced me to do. I am the one who poisoned all the television screens with the transmission, and thus ultimately responsible for the fate these poor viewers have succumbed to."**

Mono ponders for a moment, "What about Six?"

The Thin Man quirks a brow, surprised by her mention, **"What about her?"**

"She's still in the Signal Tower." Mono mutters dismally.

The Thin Man doesn't sound too concerned, not that Mono expects him to be, **"The Signal Tower needs a host to thrive."**

"You were its host before, right?" The Thin Man nods, "You escaped, so who is it now?"

 **"Six is."** The Thin Man says it as easily as ripping off a band aid. The hot sting it leaves on Mono's skin lingers. 

"She took your position." Mono whispers.

 **"I suppose she did."** The Thin Man's voice takes a heavier edge to it, more sombre. He glances down at Mono, who is now nervously bounding on the balls of his feet, **"I know what you're going to ask and the answer is no, we can't. Not only are you in absolutely no condition to go charging back in there, but it's also too dangerous. I was barely able to get us out of that corridor, I don't know if I'd have it in me to do it again if something were to happen in there."**

"You were hurt?" Mono asks minutely, almost afraid The Thin Man would confirm that suspicion.

The Thin Man shakes his head, **"No, but I was drained of my energy also. I've never faced off against the Signal Tower before and it took a bigger toll on me than expected."**

"You'll be okay though, won't you?" 

He nods. **"I should be if, like you, I take time to _recover,_ instead of bolting back to the source of my fatigue."**

Mono glowers in silence for a few minutes, staring down at his muddy feet. Mono pivots to stare up at the monumental building and his voice is just above a whisper when he begins, "I know what it's like to be alone." He faces The Thin Man again, "But you know what it's like to be alone in _there--_ " Mono points at the tower emphatically, "--and I can't imagine how horrible that was for you. I can't imagine how horrible it is for _her_ right now." 

The Thin Man crosses his arms over his chest and looks away. 

Mono continues, "You would've given _anything_ for someone to talk to in there, or at least, someone to say goodbye to--" The Thin Man visibly tenses, "--before it trapped you there, wouldn't you? Just to know that someone at least cared enough to come back and say goodbye. I know what Six did, what she _would've_ done, is cruel and unforgivable. But I also know you don't want her to suffer through what you did. And neither do I." 

The Thin Man's reluctantly looks at Mono under the shadow of his hat. 

His voice is tight when he begs, "Just let me say goodbye to her." 

The Thin Man can't help his weightless sigh, **"Mono, Six isn't in any danger."**

Mono furrows his brows, confused. "What? But you said--"

The Thin Man is rubbing his temples and now Mono isn't entirely sure he believes him when he says he's fine, **"Yes, I'm aware that my time in the Signal Tower was spent in a cramped room with a locked door. Six however, she's been given more freedom than I ever was--I was the one who assigned her to her room, after all. She has toys and pictures and even her favourite music box I conjured up for her. She's at peace in there, Mono. She might've betrayed me, but I wasn't corrupt enough to put her in the same empty room and watch her sanity dwindle away."** The Thin Man frowns a moment later.

"...What is it?" Mono dares to ask.

**"The trap is that the transmission disguises itself inside the music box. Whilst being her primary source of comfort, it is also the very thing that is keeping her imprisoned there."**

"Just like the TVs." Mono finishes, bitter. The Thin Man nods mutely. "Will the tower change her?"

The Thin Man hesitates. **"The tower is notorious for mangling and mutilating its victims."** He mumbles under his breath and out of earshot, voice returning only a fraction louder, **"It's different for each individual. The Signal Tower tries to advance the host to the point in their lives where they will be of the most use. For me, it aged me so my power and connection to the transmission would be at their most developed compared to when I was young, like you."** He purses his lips, **"Six doesn't yet possess any power of her own nor an affiliation with the transmission. I assume the tower will focus on prioritising her physical strength instead."**

Mono trembles, "Will she become ugly and disfigured like the viewers? Is she going to become a monster?"

The Thin Man watches him shake, knowing his next answer won't do anything to liberate him of it, **"It is likely, yes."**

In spite of the unfavourable answer, Mono chokes out, "I want to see her." 

**"I'm not sure you'll like what you'll see."**

"I don't care," Mono grits his teeth, repeating, "I want to see her."

The Thin Man forcibly exhales. He remembers what Mono told him a moment ago and holds up his hands in surrender. **"Alright,** **I can promise you, at most, ten minutes with her and nothing else. If things go wrong before that ten minutes is up, we're leaving. Understood?"** Mono nods enthusiastically and The Thin Man leans down and extends his hand, palm up. **"I should be able to warp us there."** Mono clambers onto his hand.

When The Thin Man bows his head to attempt the teleportation however, an intense, white flash explodes behind his vision. His free hand comes up and cups his cheek, leaning into it for support against the sudden migraine. Mono's concerned gaze is glued to him.

"You're not fine," He huffs out, somewhat irritated.

 **"Hmm, possibly because I'm having to risk my health for a little play date with your friend?"** The venomous rebuttal is out before he can bite his tongue and Mono shrinks back, embarrassed. He mentally scolds himself. **"Sorry. I didn't mean that."**

"It's okay." Mono gives him a small smile, "I know it's scary and dangerous in there." His expression drops into a frown, "You don't have to teleport us though if it hurts too much. I can try!"

The Thin Man instantly jumps to shut that idea down, **"No, you haven't mastered it."**

"How hard can it be?"

 **"We'd probably end up in some remote location far away from here--like The Maw."** The Thin Man grimaces.

"What's The Maw?" Mono asks innocently.

 **"Do you want to see Six or sit here and argue with me?"** The Maw is a topic for another day. Hopefully a day that doesn't exist.

"I want to see Six!" Mono responds, oblivious and a tad too eager for the danger that awaits, "How are we going to find her if we can't teleport?"

 **"We'll have to traverse the tower manually."** He peers at Mono, **"Are you alright to walk?"** Mono nods, so The Thin Man lowers his palm to the ground again and allows Mono to step off. **"Stay close to me and do not, by any means, use your power."**

Mono is perplexed by that last order, "Why?"

**"It'll alert the Signal Tower to our presence immediately. We can afford to sneak in and out unscathed, but if it senses as little as one ampere of a foreign transmission signal, it will attempt to entrap us. Six's room is located on one of the highest floors and we won't have time to escape if we are discovered."**

This is beginning to sound like a harder trip than Mono first expected. "...Nothing's going to happen though, right? You won't let anything happen," Mono pleads quietly. 

The Thin Man looks down at him, **"Of course not."** He reassures, but his voice lacks its usual confidence. **"Come on, the sooner we're in and out, the better."**

With The Thin Man at the front and Mono trailing behind closely, they approach the grand steel doors of the Signal Tower. The doors swing open automatically upon detecting their footsteps, a bright pink and purple hue blanketing them as they enter. The doors shut again as soon as they are inside. Mono isn't sure what he expected the interior of the tower to look like, but a dozen doors on each wall and levitating toys and rubble is definitely a shock. It appears ethereal and not of this earth with its luminous colours and a strangely familiar, peaceful tune floating around the structure and reverberating off of every wall. It all enthrals him and he finds himself straying away from The Thin Man's side to approach a floating teddy bear. Mono reaches up and clutches it, mesmerised by how slowly it responds to his movements as a result of the weakened gravity. The Thin Man observes his childlike behaviour and the corners of his lips quirk up a fraction. It's nice to see that in a world full of nightmares, Mono hasn't lost this innocent nature. They don't have time to get side-tracked however, so with a brief call out and a gesture of his arm, The Thin Man recaptures Mono's attention and they travel further inside. 

The Thin Man leads Mono through a door emitting the same magenta glow and once they pass through, they are instantly warped to the bottom of a stone staircase. Mono, not expecting the sudden teleport, stumbles out the door, landing on his front with an 'oof'. The Thin Man is already scaling the upward steps five-at-a-time, and Mono scrambles to his feet to follow. As he walks, he takes in his surroundings. This cobbled interior area is entirely hollow, save for the other several staircases above him, each leading from similar pink doors. Its emptiness irks him and he hopes Six doesn't feel the same loneliness the tower radiates, even if The Thin Man promises she is safe. 

The navigation of the remainder of the tower is confusing to say the least. Mono only recalls going through this door, then that door, then another door, then the opposite door, down that staircase, up that one, and by the end of it he's being carried in The Thin Man's hand because he's too tired and dazed to be able to complete the rest of the journey on his feet. Its tedious puzzles combined with the soft lull of the music box make him want to fall asleep. After what feels like at least an hour of blinding lights and twist and turns however, The Thin Man stops in front of a door at the end of a hallway, a tiny slit letting the smallest bit of light peek through. The Thin Man bends down to place Mono back on the ground. Mono glances up at him, curious, and all The Thin Man responds with is a little nod of his head towards the door. This is where the source of the music is originating from. Mono slips through and enters.

The sight that meets him makes him gasp and stumble back defensively. In the middle of the room is a large music box, and there at the farthest end is Six. A Six unlike any Mono has ever seen before. Her large and deformed body is hunched over at an odd angle, with elongated and stretched arms that are disproportionate to her stubby legs. Those limbs must be broken or her bones have disintegrated entirely, Mono thinks, from the perverse kink in her left bicep and the listless fashion in which one of her feet lays on the ground. She's still wearing that same yellow raincoat, albeit it is now augmented to fit her new, unnatural size, and its hood shields her face completely, dark hair cascading down over her arms. Mono is speechless. He is torn between fleeing in absolute terror and feeling such a terrible amount of sympathy for what would be his deceiver that it makes his chest ache. 

It seems that sympathetic side of him wins over because not a moment later he's carefully tiptoeing towards her. Her head lifts up at the sound of his approaching footsteps and something akin to a snarl huffs out. Mono freezes. Six's long, preposterous arm wriggles out from its position in front of her and stretches forward, grabbing the music box with a gnarly and malnourished hand and drawing it close to her chest. Her heavy breathing halts, the gentle tune of the music box beckoning her back into a relaxed and benumbed state. Mono remembers what The Thin Man told him about how the music box keeps her imprisoned here, but at least it didn't seem to be causing her any physical pain. A glance around the room further confirms their previous conversation--there's paintings and toys and it looks a lot closer to a home compared to what The Thin Man was forced to live in. This disfigured version of Six is more serene than her normal self ever was, and that makes Mono's heart hurt all the more. 

Mono comes to a realisation then, that for all his good intentions and kindness, he only ever brought Six danger and pain. His desire for companionship had been so strong that he couldn't see what he was doing to her. Releasing her from her prison at the Hunter's shack seemed to be the right thing, but did she appear to be in any jeopardy there in the first place? She had been attentively sitting with her music box, just like she is now. It had been that release that had taken her to The Pale City alongside Mono, thus dooming her to fall victim to the bullies and The Thin Man--who, despite knowing his tragic fate now, is still at fault for stealing Six away. It's this epiphany that makes Mono wonder if everything he did was for her or for himself. He wanted a friend, and she wanted solace, to be left alone. Mono's shoulders slump and he feels ashamed. Six must hate him. Maybe that's why she dropped all the previous Mono's and damned him to become The Thin Man, because his phobia of being alone had made him blind to just how much turmoil she had been subjected to because of him. 

The tears are brimming in his eyes before he's even aware of just how much pain he's in. Mono sniffles quietly and he contemplates returning to The Thin Man for some form of consolation when Six's head tilts inquisitively at the muffled sound of crying. With one hand still enclosed around the music box, she uses her other to manoeuvre her body forwards and settles closer to the source of the noise. Mono balks, shoulders hiking up to his ears and forearms coming to cover his face. His feeble defence is unnecessary. With a gentility Mono had certainly not thought her capable of, she winds her free hand around him and lifts him up, sitting him on her bent knee and closer to the pacifying tune of her toy. Her long hair tickles him as it drapes over him almost protectively. Mono wipes his eyes with his coat sleeve, feeling pathetic. After everything that's happened between them, _he's_ the one who's crying.

"I'm sorry, Six." Mono knows he shouldn't be apologising, not after the destiny The Thin Man opened his eyes to, yet he does anyway because this Six, _his_ Six, hasn't betrayed him. That conflict is destined to be in front of them, not behind them, and Mono will cherish all the remaining time he has with her now that that moment will never come. Six suddenly shifts in response to his voice and through the sea of black strands he sees two dark eyes peek at him, bewildered and relieved. She recognises him--she remembers him! 

Those eyes don't blink nor do they break away. Mono falters, realising that might not be a good thing. Maybe she is angry--she has every right to be. Perhaps it was wishful thinking to assume she would be so quick to forgive. The attack Mono anticipates never happens. Instead, Six's bottom lip wobbles with the effort of stretching a wide grin over her face, showing a new set of spiked canines. Mono tries not to feel intimidated because he knows it's not her intention to frighten him, but his returning smile is not nearly as confident.

All of a sudden, Six is up, sending Mono flying off her knee. She doesn't seem to register his tumble as she scrambles for a toy like an over-enthusiastic dog and presents it to Mono almost proudly. He accepts the gift and examines it. It's the same duck she was obsessed with carrying around back at the hospital, where they had, admittedly twisted, fun using the x-ray and the incinerator. Mono smiles. Then Six retrieves another toy, the elusive teddy bear that had hid the key to continuing their journey, also from the hospital. And another toy, and another, until Mono's carrying a stack of toys too high for him to balance and they topple to the floor with a clatter. Six grunts blithely, like she is trying to laugh but can't quite form the noise. Mono laughs a little too as they scramble to pick up the toys. It turns into a game between them, with Mono trying to collect and keep the toys whilst Six tries to steal and hide them from him. He gets knocked over once or twice due to her unawareness of her own strength, yet she always waits to make sure he's fine before continuing the game. 

The door creaks open and the two cease their fun. **"Time to go, Mono."** The Thin Man says softly.

Six lowers down and her posture turns rigid. She crawls backwards to her original position, clutching the music box tighter, more dependent on its tune. Mono approaches her and places his hand on top of hers. In response, her other hand moves and squishes his hand tenaciously. Her breathing is laboured and Mono doubts it's from the game they just played. 

"I'm sorry," Mono echoes, voice cracking. She shakes her head. "You're safe here now. Nobody's ever going to hurt you again, Six." 

Six nods, hair swaying with the motion. She nuzzles her head forward and bumps it into Mono playfully. 

Mono chokes out a final, "Goodbye, Six." 

Six twists her head, confused. She recognises that same teary-eyed voice though and decides to make Mono happy in the only way she knows how. She turns and grabs the nearest toy. When she spins back towards Mono, he's not there. Six lets out a low giggle, he must be hiding from her! It's only when she notices how cold and empty the room has become that she realises he's not hiding at all. He's gone. Six crawls forward and to the door, teddy bear still in her hand. Her attempt at forming the 'M' syllable comes out as a dejected whine. When there is no echo of footsteps in acknowledgement, she sinks to the ground. Not even the cacophony of her music box can stifle her reticent cries.

Mono is sticking closer to The Thin Man than he was when they entered. He's almost plastered to his shin and The Thin Man has to be careful not to accidently kick him every time he takes a step forward. He knows Mono is searching for comfort from him, he himself is all too familiar with the crippling effects of loneliness and abandonment, but The Thin Man isn't sure how to. He could hold him in his hand and whisper those five cliché words; _'It's going to be okay,',_ reassure him that Six is better off, offer him a toy or something, and yet he doesn't, because he knows none of those material things will make him feel better. Separating from Six is going to leave a gaping wound that The Thin Man can't heal. Empty promises and hollow embraces will not heal it. Reiterating what Six _would've_ done will not heal it. The only thing that can ever come close to dulling the pain is time. 

They exit the tower and back out into the rain-soaked street. Mono pauses and turns around to look at it for the last time. The Signal Tower that confines his friend, would've confined him, _has_ confined him. The structure that has wrecked so much havoc across The Pale City and caused so much anguish, and will continue to, a new reign beginning anew with Six as its host. The doors shut with a loud slam. Its echo is like a slap in the face, taunting Mono with the harsh reminder that Six is now theirs, and he will be forever powerless to wrench her free of their prevailing grasp. 

"It doesn't feel right." Mono swallows down the tears threatening to spill over again, "Leaving her in there."

 **"It shouldn't."** The Thin Man replies, observing Mono from a little ahead. **"It's where she belongs though, Mono--"**

"How can she belong in a horrible tower that will leech off of her until she dies?! I understand she betrayed you, and was going to betray me, but she doesn't deserve this!" 

In all honesty, The Thin Man expects this reaction. **"She isn't in any pain, nor any danger. She has her music box and a comfortable room to live in. In this world, that's more of a life than a lot of other people get."**

"She has everything _but_ company!" Mono counters, voice now raw with emotion, "You said you weren't corrupt enough to damn her to the same fate, but that's exactly what you've done! You took her to the Signal Tower and gave her everything but a friend to talk to! You made her alone, just how you were!" 

There's a crackle of electricity, a building behind The Thin Man surges backwards and collapses completely. **"You don't think I'm aware of that?"** For the violent event he just caused, his voice is dangerously calm, **"What you don't seem to understand is that depositing her anywhere else would've resulted in her own untimely demise. Would you rather I have stored her in the basement of one of these atrocious apartment complexes that are barely fixed to the ground, so she could become one with the floor when it fell? Or maybe I should've put her in the school, so that wretched teacher could wring her neck whenever she felt like it? The hospital, perhaps, so the doctor could amputate each and every one of her limbs and replace them with cosmetic parts?"** Mono flinches with every graphic detail The Thin Man provides, and it's that reaction that opens his eyes to what he's saying and who he's talking to. Mono is a child who is upset and angry and confused. He has every right to be hurt, he's living in a world so cruel, and he's just had to give up the only companion he'd ever had to endure it with. The Thin Man shouldn't make that worse for him--for his younger self.

Mono presses his sleeves into his eyes to prevent the next onslaught of tears. The Thin Man bends down to his small level and his voice is a lot softer now, **"I know it's unfair, Mono. I wasn't lying to make you feel better when I said she wasn't in any pain."** The Thin Man sighs, unsure on how Mono will react to this next bit of information, **"Like I explained before, the transmission is kept within the music box, and the transmission projects itself as a desired alternate reality. The physical world doesn't matter to her anymore. She has her own world she can be a part of, and I'd bet you're in it--in her eyes, it's like you never left. For what it's worth, I did more for her then she ever would've done for us."**

Mono peeks at The Thin Man through his coat sleeves, snivelling, "But she's a monster now." 

**"Did that stop you from visiting or playing with her? Did it make you treat her any differently, and she to you?"**

"N-no..."

 **"Then it doesn't matter how she looks now. What matters is that she's still your friend."** Those words are immensely difficult for The Thin Man to voice, his throat feeling like sandpaper at the mere thought of Six being a 'friend'. The Thin Man doesn't hate Six, that much is evident from the nicer fate he blessed upon her, but he's a far way away from ever feeling an ounce of sympathy for the individual that doomed him to a fate worse than death. An individual who was given the opportunity to bloom and thrive in her own establishment at sea, whilst he sat, isolated, in a room with no door handle from the inside. 

"Even after what she did?"

Well, that's the million dollar question right there, isn't it? The Thin Man almost wants to laugh, or cry, he's not sure. A friend is someone who's supportive and loyal, a person who will congratulate their companion on their achievements, instead of striving to always be better; someone who is kind and gentle, a permanent shoulder to cry on and an ear that will bear any heartache; someone who is empathetic and sensitive, able to put themselves in the other's shoes and offer consolation in the hardest of times. A friend is not someone who looks the other dead in the eyes and lets them fall into a bottomless, black void. A friend does not turn their back once the deed is done and disappear into a portal that should've been _their_ escape. A friend does not profit whilst the other is consumed by despair. The Thin Man looks directly into Mono's teary eyes, feels the sadness lingering behind those droplets. 

And he says, **"Even after what she did."**

Mono searches his shadowed face. He's stopped crying now and his arm lowers back to his side. His voice is solemn when he asks, "What do we do now?" 

The Thin Man closes his eyes, inhaling almost sadly. _'A friend does not turn their back',_ his own voice tortures him and he feels like a hypocrite. **"I have some things I need to take care of, Mono."**

Mono nods, so innocent, "Okay, what things?" 

The Thin Man looks away, and these words are harder to force out than the ones about Six, **"You can't come with me, Mono."**

Six words. Six words are all it takes for that dam holding back Mono's pent up suffering to explode right in front of The Thin Man's face. 

"That's not for you to decide!" The Thin Man is taken aback by the sudden volume and raw despair that emanates from his scream. 

**"It is."** The Thin Man responds so gently, so patiently, despite his outburst, and Mono doesn't want to ever be apart from that kindness, **"I have been a victim to this cycle for longer than you know, so many times even I have lost count. I have been betrayed, damned and enslaved time and time again. It has been a fate worse than death."** He shakes his head at the ground, no longer able to bear that pain on Mono's face, _his_ face, **"And in spite of it all, for all my pain, I--we, have been able to break the loop. I have managed to grant you the future I never had, the future I was stripped of. You can grow old and not be doomed to become this tall, lurking shadow that exists in the nightmares of thousands."** When The Thin Man looks back up at Mono, his own eyes are gleaming, **"I won't watch you fall victim to the horrors I have to correct. I won't watch your mind become corrupted, like mine was, by taking you with me."**

"This world is full of nightmares! I can't be protected from it!" 

The Thin Man breathes despondently, "Mo--"

 **"I don't have anyone else!"** Mono's voice screeches with static, The Thin Man recoils with surprise, **"I can't be alone again!"**

The Thin Man is frozen. Mono slumps and he weeps, quieter, "Please don't make me be alone..." 

It's here, with the rain drenching them, hidden under the downcast clouds and shadowed by the curved buildings, that The Thin Man feels like he's looking directly into a mirror. A cracked, defeated, destitute mirror. It's a pain unlike any he's ever felt before, and it _stings,_ like a hot iron searing directly through his sternum and straight to his heart. It's a pain so great it makes him feel ill. It's a pain that awakens the epiphany that for all his time spent locked away in a tower, he really hasn't changed at all. He's still that frightened, isolation-fearing child, an exact replica of the one standing in front of him. He will always be that child, no matter how much he's aged. 

That child prays for companionship. That's all this child has _ever_ wanted, and it is the only thing he _never_ got. 

And it's the only thing he cannot grant. 

**"I can't."** Mono's weeping becomes louder and The Thin Man places his hand on the small of his back to try and offer some sort of comfort, **"Mono, I need you to listen to me."** Mono's crying quietens, but it doesn't cease, **"Everything that I ever did was for you. All of it."** The confession stifles Mono's crying almost entirely. The Thin Man heaves a breath, **"And because I did everything for you, I want to give you the best chance I can offer at having a bright future. If I took you with me and you were, heaven forbid, _traumatised_ _or hurt_ \--I wouldn't be able to forgive myself, and it would all be for nothing. Don't make it be for nothing. Not after everything." **

Mono is speechless. When he finally finds his voice again, all that leaves him is a broken sob, "I just lost Six, now I have to lose you, too?" 

**"You can't lose me. I'm always with you, as you are with me."**

"That's not good enough." He chokes out. 

The Thin Man takes a second to ponder his thoughts. He seems to battle with something internally, searching deep into those young, grieved eyes staring at him. He decides Mono deserves this shred of hope, even if it's only a miniscule amount of it, **"Whenever you see a television, I want you to turn it on."** As expected, Mono's eyes widen, **"Then I need you to disrupt its signal so it becomes--"**

"A portal." Mono finishes, voice lighter. 

The Thin Man nods, a small smile gracing his lips, **"Yes, that's correct."** His smile drops, **"When I have done what needs to be done, I will come find you. It might not be for awhile, but I _will_ find you. I won't make you be alone, I promise." **

Mono remains crestfallen, glaring at the ground between them. He feels The Thin Man retract his hand from him and then hears the whirring of static and wind. He only looks up when he feels something settle atop his messy hair. From the strong, round brim now obscuring the top of his vision and the feel of cashmere under his fingertips, it's a fedora, one that seems rather familiar, albeit smaller to fit him. When he focuses on The Thin Man again, his cast shadow is spasming and glitching, warping to another plain.

**"No more tears. You need to be brave and get as far away from The Pale City as you can."**

"I-I'll try..." Mono whispers.

**"When we meet again, I'll teach you about your power."**

One last genuine smile, and he vanishes. 

Mono finds himself, in spite of it all, mimicking the same expression.

_When._

**Author's Note:**

> the following end notes are the absolute shit show that my ranting thoughts were whilst i was trying to finish this fic/doing last minute edits. this is what you get when you combine sleep deprivation with working at 2am
> 
> -i tagged this as light angst but i'm over here thinking it's getting kind of heavy, oh well
> 
> -just like the real game, you don't get a nice ending. at most it can be classed as bittersweet ish.
> 
> -shit, it would be nice to end it at 'even after what she did', but i want to set this up for a sequel
> 
> -tfw you're writing but you've been on a theory reading extravaganza an hour prior and you're starting to lose faith in the time loop theory but you're already 3k words into this and you don't want to put it to waste
> 
> -should it be wholesome? should it be riddled with angst? tWo ShOtS oF aNgSt
> 
> -shit i don't know about a title but this seems edgy enough, i still suck at titles--butomgthey'resimilari'mactuallyclever
> 
> -thin man more like thin dad, look at him catering to and raising his little self (but also abandons him oops)
> 
> -but also thin man is not entirely innocent despite being a victim, i hope i conveyed that somewhere, fuck i think i buried that under all the angst
> 
> -omg matching hats
> 
> -yes the thin man has the power to materialise hats i'll fight anyone who disagrees
> 
> -for fucks sake, i said i wouldn't get roped into sequels, i said i wouldn't do multifics because they shit all over my motivation and always end up incomplete, but i have so many ideas. damnit.
> 
> -also. i'm not sure how i feel about this. the beginning? loved writing it, thought it was really well written. conveyed what i wanted to and all that good stuff. the dialogue after? same feeling--liked exploring my own interpretations on the universe and about the signal tower. scene with six? sure, it was nice to give those two kids a break from the horrific life outside. the ending? yeah, it's good, i ended it off openly, so i can pick it up again if i want and my motivation sticks around for a bit longer, that is.
> 
> -BUT IT JUST KEPT DRAGGING AND DRAGGING AND DRAGGING AND I COULDN'T FIND A GOOD PLACE TO END IT AND WHEN I DID IT WAS AT 7000 WORDS OR SOMETHING. SO I THINK THE FLOW OF THE FIC IS FUCKED. IT'S VERY LONG. CAN'T DECIDE IF THAT'S A GOOD THING.
> 
> -eh, c'est la vie. i poured four nights of effort into it, and people requested a continuation of i am you as you are me, so fuck it i'm delivering and posting this, even if my quality here doesn't feel the best--to me anyway. i hope it was at least enjoyable for you readers though.
> 
> -if you don't like this interpretation just imagine it never happened and you're free to create your own ending/sequel to i am you as you are me lol. i probably won't be doing an alternate ending to this though, similar to what i did with deluded. 
> 
> -so yeah, none of them got a decent ending here. mono ends up alone, six is trapped (albeit comfortable and somewhat happy) and the thin man's gone to fix other things. what things though? guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we? i created this series for a reason after all... (ʃƪ¬‿¬) (coughcoughhe'stotallygoingtobragtotheladyhebroketheloop)
> 
> (but don't expect new fics straight after this because i'm still recovering from the sleepless nights i sacrificed to write this pain in the ass, someone tuck me in and read me a bedtime story)


End file.
